# Ep088: Flywheel Trebuchet, Thieving Magpies, Hero Engines, and Hypermiling

- Show: [Hackaday Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast)
- Published: 2020-10-09
- Length: 48m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-10-09-ep088-flywheel-trebuchet-thieving-magpies-hero-engines-and-hypermiling
- Listen: https://hackaday.libsyn.com/ep088-flywheel-trebuchet-thieving-magpies-hero-engines-and-hypermiling

## Summary

Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams discuss a variety of hardware hacks, including Tom Stanton’s flywheel trebuchet that throws tennis balls at 180 mph, Hans Forsberg’s system for training magpies to collect bottle caps, and Sarah Adkins’ Go board sequencer that uses OpenCV to generate music. They also cover Lou and Day’s hypermiling article, which details aerodynamic and weight-reduction techniques for improving fuel economy, and the announcement of the Sun's 25th solar cycle.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-10-09-ep088-flywheel-trebuchet-thieving-magpies-hero-engines-and-hypermiling#t=1) Introduction and Comment Milestone
- [5:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-10-09-ep088-flywheel-trebuchet-thieving-magpies-hero-engines-and-hypermiling#t=313) Cassette Player Synth and Component Organizers
- [14:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-10-09-ep088-flywheel-trebuchet-thieving-magpies-hero-engines-and-hypermiling#t=840) Flywheel Trebuchet Build
- [20:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-10-09-ep088-flywheel-trebuchet-thieving-magpies-hero-engines-and-hypermiling#t=1220) Training Magpies and Go Board Sequencer
- [28:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-10-09-ep088-flywheel-trebuchet-thieving-magpies-hero-engines-and-hypermiling#t=1711) Hero Engine and Quick Hacks
- [36:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-10-09-ep088-flywheel-trebuchet-thieving-magpies-hero-engines-and-hypermiling#t=2215) Hypermiling and Solar Cycle 25

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Arduino (chip)
- MCP 4725 (chip)
- Raspberry Pi (chip)
- STM32 (chip)
- Commodore 64 (product)
- Physlets.org Tracker (tool)
- IKEA (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [43. Special: Students Building The Future](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-11-09-43-special-students-building-the-future) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [004 - 0x0FF the Rails](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2017-10-13-004-0x0ff-the-rails) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [12. Ford Trucks Made From Trash, NASA’s Ingenuity Drone, Snake-Inspired Nonslip Shoes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-04-06-12-ford-trucks-made-from-trash-nasas-ingenuity-drone-snake-inspired-nonslip-shoe) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Episode 264: The whole focus here is to not slide off the roof](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2020-06-12-episode-264-the-whole-focus-here-is-to-not-slide-off-the-roof) (Making It)
- [23. Bird-Inspired Drone Wings, Scaling Digital Twins, Tracking Microplastics From Space](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-06-22-23-bird-inspired-drone-wings-scaling-digital-twins-tracking-microplastics-from-s) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

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